Pre-K is a “go” for the 2017-18 school year in Northampton Area School District, thanks to a new state grant and continued Head Start of the Lehigh Valley funding.

The grant will fund a pre-K class for 4-year-olds at Moore Elementary School, Moore Township. Approximately 20 children are expected to attend. Because notification of the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts funding was received the week of Aug. 7, the class is scheduled to start Nov. 1.

Two classes of 20 each are continuing at George Wolf Elementary School, Bath, in a pre-K program funded and run by Head Start. Those classes are to begin Sept. 5, eight days after the Aug. 28 start of the NASD school year.

“We just found out last week that we’ve received the funds from Harrisburg,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph Kovalchik said of the Pre-K Counts grant.

Kovalchik praised Dr. Kathleen Ott, NASD director of data, grants and special programs, for working on securing the Pre-K Counts grant and making sure the Head Start pre-K classes continue.

“Dr. Ott has been working on this for the past year,” Kovalchik said.

School directors voted unanimously 9-0 to approve a collaborative agreement/contract for services between Community Services for Children Inc., Head Start of the Lehigh Valley and NASD for 2017-18 for the Head Start pre-K program. There is no cost to the district for the program.

“It’s going to offer 60 of our students the opportunity to start their education early,” said Kovalchik, adding the board of education would have had to consider funding the pre-K classes were it not for the grants.

The pre-K program began five years ago in NASD with a Keystones to Opportunities grant of $3 million over five years, which concluded with the 2016-17 school year.

The 2017-18 school year is the second year that NASD has offered three pre-K classes. The program was expanded with the participation of Community Services for Children, which also is eligible to receive Pre-K Counts funding. Funding for each class is about $40,000, or $120,000 for the three classes for the 2017-18 school year.

The program, Kovalchik said, has already yielded results in student performance.

“We’ve seen significant growth academically as well as socially,” Kovalchik told a reporter for The Press following the Aug. 14 NASD Board of Education meeting. “What we’re trying to do is prepare them for kindergarten.”

Pre-K classes are 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the 2017-18 school year. Reading, math and collaborative activities are emphasized. NASD doesn’t provide transportation for students.

Interested parents may obtain more information about the pre-K program and apply for it at sites.google.com/a/nasdschools.org/keystones-to-opportunites/keystones-kids-pre-k.

Pennsylvania’s 2017-18 proposed budget earmarks an additional $75 million for early childhood education, including Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, $65 million, and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program, $10 million.

School directors voted 9-0 to approve several NASD staffers, including three teachers who attended the Aug. 14 meeting:

Melissa Amberger, English teacher, Northampton Area Middle School, effective Aug. 21, at a salary of $49,540, with benefits, based on a bachelor’s degree

Amber Konek, English teacher, Northampton Area Middle School, effective Aug. 21, at a salary of $58,144, with benefits, based on a master’s degree

Kelsey Morrison, special education teacher, Northampton Area Middle School, effective Aug. 21, at a salary of $49,540 with benefits, based on a bachelor’s degree

Kovalchik noted that 115 NASD staffers attended the annual data retreat Aug. 2, where information about students was discussed with an eye toward implementing or improving curriculum.

The first day of the 2017-18 school year for NASD teachers and staff is Aug. 21, an in-service day.

The first day of classes for students is Aug. 28.

“We are in full-throttle mode as far as opening the 2017-18 school year,” Kovalchik said.